A former Minnesota GOP Senate staffer has sued the state and others, claiming he was fired for his extramarital affair with the party's majority leader.

Michael Brodkorb, the Senate Republicans' communications director, lost his job in December after a relationship with former Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch was revealed.

Brodkorb, who also names Secretary of the Senate Cal Ludeman and the Senate in the suit filed Monday, July 23, in Ramsey County District Court, says he was treated differently than female staffers who had relationships with male legislators

Brodkorb's attorney Phil Villaume said they had been trying to reach a settlement outside of court and were disappointed the lawsuit had to be filed.

"Considering that the Minnesota Senate has already spent nearly $100,000 in legal fees simply 'preparing' for a lawsuit to be filed must raise significant questions for the taxpayers," Villaume said in a statement.

Republican leaders have retained Dayle Nolan of Larkin, Hoffmann, Daly & Lindgren to represent the Senate in the case.

Senate Majority Leader Dave Senjem said the lawsuit is "without any merit whatsoever" and he's not interested in a mediated settlement.

"Along with our attorneys, we will do everything in our power to protect the interests of the taxpayers," Senjem said in a statement. "The Minnesota Senate is and always has been responsible in its employment procedures and practices.

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The Senate's legal bills in the case reached almost $85,000 by the end of May, according to an invoice dated June 19. Senate GOP spokesman Steve Sviggum said that is the last bill received.

The lawsuit also says, "Senator Koch will testify that Brodkorb's employment was terminated by the Republican leadership because of the intimate relationship between Senator Koch and Brodkorb, as will other legislators and legislative staffers."

Koch's attorney Ron Rosenbaum confirmed this.

"Amy Koch will absolutely confirm that it is her belief that Michael Brodkorb was terminated because of their affair and will have more to say about this case if called upon to do so," Rosenbaum said.

After the affair was made public, Koch stepped down from her majority leadership post and announced she would not run for re-election this fall.

Besides discrimination, Brodkorb's 10-page complaint also includes allegations of invasion of privacy and defamation.

He is seeking damages in excess of $50,000. State law caps settlements with public employees at $1.5 million.

Brodkorb is suing Ludeman for saying Brodkorb was trying to "blackmail" the Senate and "extort a payment" by filing the complaints.

He also claims that Ludeman violated his privacy by telling the media that he filed for unemployment benefits and was denied.

Brodkorb initially filed a gender-discrimination complaint with the U.S. Equal Opportunity Commission in March, arguing he was wrongly fired from his $90,000-a-year position.